


Too Late

by HopeCoppice



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Adultery, Ambiguous Relationships, F/F, Tad Dowling sucks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26181592
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeCoppice/pseuds/HopeCoppice
Summary: Harriet Dowling returns to the Order of St Beryl, five years after Warlock's birth. She's too late, but perhaps somebody here can help her anyway...
Relationships: Harriet Dowling & Mary Hodges | Sister Mary Loquacious, Harriet Dowling/Mary Hodges | Sister Mary Loquacious
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17
Collections: GO Events - Rare Pairs





	Too Late

**Author's Note:**

> Just another random rarepair, I've no idea what I was trying to do with this one but I hope you enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Inspired by the GO-Events server's Rarepairs minievent.

It's been five years since the fire, and Mary Hodges is still sweeping the ashes out of the courtyard. That's what she's doing when the small, practical-looking car pulls up and a glamourous but rather haggard-looking woman steps out of it. Mary offers her a smile, because the woman looks like she needs it, and makes her way over to see if she can offer any assistance.

"Hello. Can I help you?"

"Yes, I'm looking for... well, nuns." The woman sounded American; that was unusual enough to be interesting. "There used to be nuns here, didn't there?"

"Yes, there were, but they've gone now. I'm the only one left."

The woman looked at her doubtfully, no doubt taking in the sharp business attire and the lack of wimple. "You don't look like a nun."

"Oh, well, I'm not any more. It wouldn't have been the same, once everything burnt down and the others... left." Most of them had left, it wasn't a lie. Only Mary Hodges knew about the body hastily buried beneath the new hedge surrounding the former convent. Only Mary Hodges would ever know, because if anyone else found out it would definitely delay her plans to host corporate events on the site. "Still, I used to be Sister Mary Loquacious, of the Chattering Order of St Beryl. Now I'm just Mary, Mary Hodges. Can I help you?"

"Oh. Harriet Dowling. I, er, I actually had my baby here, years ago now. But if the Order is gone...?" She paused for confirmation, and Mary nodded. "I'm afraid it's too late. I was hoping to sign up, you see."

Mary stared at her for several long moments.

"You wanted to become a Chattering Sister?"

"You swear off men, right?" Harriet sighed, slumping down onto the small suitcase she'd hauled out of the car. "That sounds pretty good right now. Tad's..." She trailed off, evidently searching for words, and came up empty. "He's Tad," she concluded at last, "and I doubt he'd even notice if I took Holy Orders and vanished."

"What about your baby?"

"Oh, he's five now. He's got a nanny, you see, and I sort of left them to it for a while, and now it's been too long and she's more like his mom than I am."

Mary considered that.

"Rubbish," she told her, "you're his mum. I'm sure if you spend some time with him, he'll remember that."

"And Tad?" Harriet asked, looking utterly miserable.

Mary Hodges was bright, and sharp, and never missed an opportunity.

"You're lonely, right?" Harriet nodded. "He doesn't treat you right?" She shook her head. Mary let out a soft 'tsk' of disapproval. "You're always welcome to visit here," she assured her, "then neither of us will be lonely."

"I don't just mean... I mean, not that I wouldn't like a friend, but it's also..."

"Like I said," Mary told her, "neither of us have to be lonely."

And she watched as Harriet Dowling's face curved up into a smile.


End file.
